Along Front Beach Road in Panama City Beach you’ll often find the restaurants with the best views are the ones with the biggest crowds. One of the most memorable dinners in the area is actually across the bay, tucked away behind a liquor store. Donovan’s Supperclub and Cocktails is easy to miss from the outside.
A relatively new addition to the Panama City dining scene, is the kind
of restaurant you might drive right past without a second glance. The exterior is so
unremarkable that you’d hardly suspect there’s a sophisticated dining room inside. And the fact
that it’s operated by the same owners of the attached liquor store only adds to the intrigue.
But step through the doors, and suddenly the beach crowds and flip-flop atmosphere feel a
world away.
A Room Made for Lingering
From the road it’s a plain building and you’d hardly guess there’s an elegant dining room inside. The liquor store out front is run by the same people so that adds to the mystery.
Inside Donovan’s Supperclub and Cocktails, dark wood, warm lighting, and a handsome bar
anchoring the room create the sort of atmosphere that encourages you to linger over another
cocktail.
There’s a speakeasy quality to the place, not because you need a password to get in, but
because discovering it feels like stumbling onto something you weren’t supposed to know about.
The room hums with conversation, but unlike some trendy restaurants where dinner requires
shouting across the table, the noise never overwhelms. It’s lively without being exhausting,
polished without being pretentious.
A Gimlet With a Tropical Twist
The cocktail menu alone is worth exploring. Gin lovers should start with the Bayab Gimlet, a
refreshing combination of pineapple and palm gin, lime juice, and simple syrup. It’s bright,
tropical, and perfectly suited to Florida’s Gulf Coast.
But the real showstopper is the $25 EH Taylor Smoked Old Fashioned. Made with E.H. Taylor bourbon and smoked with cherry wood chips, it’s the sort of cocktail that
makes you forget what everyone else at the table ordered. The presentation is theatrical, but the
smoke serves a purpose, adding another layer to the bourbon’s rich character.
It’s a splurge, certainly, but for whiskey enthusiasts, it’s an experience worth considering.
A Compact Menu With Fresh Ideas
Executive Chef Thomas Stukenborg keeps the menu simple. Rather than the usual seafood platters the kitchen will take standard ingredients and go in directions that most beach restaurants won’t.
So do the bluefin tuna nachos (pictured above). It’s a playful take on a familiar bar snack, transforming
something typically associated with melted cheese and jalapeños into a seafood-forward dish
worth sharing.
The Fish Nibbles are a great introduction to tripletail (a Gulf Coast fish which gets its name from fins which give it the appearance of having three tails). Here it’s served with a passion fruit tartar sauce.
Starters Made for Sharing
The crab corn fritters are another excellent starting point, especially if you’re dining with friends.
They’re the kind of appetizer that disappears quickly once everyone starts reaching across the
table.
A Salad Big Enough for Two
Even the salads deserve attention. The strawberry goat cheese salad, finished with pecans,
delivers that appealing contrast of sweetness, creaminess, and crunch. More importantly, it’s
generously portioned, making it an easy choice for two people to split before their entrées
arrive.
Tripletail Done Right
Seafood lovers should seriously consider the tripletail entrée. If you’ve never ordered this Gulf
Coast fish before, Donovan’s makes a convincing introduction.
The fish has a mild, slightly sweet flavor reminiscent of snapper, with a tender yet substantial
texture. What makes this preparation especially memorable is the generous helping of lump
crab meat served alongside it. Rather than burying the fish beneath a heavy sauce, the crab
complements its delicate flavor.
Curry Shrimp With a Kick
For something with a little more personality, order the Blue Mountain Curry Shrimp. The curry
delivers a welcome kick of heat without overpowering the shrimp. It’s flavorful, aromatic, and
nicely balanced, the kind of dish that makes you wish more coastal restaurants would take
chances beyond the usual blackened, fried, or grilled preparations.
A Filet That Holds Its Own
The filet arrives thick, beautifully cooked, and tender enough to remind you that a restaurant
doesn’t need to call itself a steakhouse to deliver an excellent cut of beef.
That’s perhaps what impressed me most about Donovan’s. The kitchen doesn’t appear to have
one specialty it does well at the expense of everything else. From seafood to steak, there’s a
confidence to the cooking that makes ordering feel less like a gamble.
Before You Go
The kitchen is equally at home with seafood and steak so ordering is generally not a gamble.
Donovan’s is at 3200 West Highway 98 in Panama City. It’s a short drive from the beach via the Hathaway Bridge over St. Andrews Bay.
Dinner is served Tuesday-Saturday from 4-10 p.m. and reservations are recommended. Given the smart dress code it’s best to leave the swimsuit and flip flops at the hotel. For bookings call (850) 785-9617.
